Cuero, DeWitt County
Eugene A. Daule (1860-1943) was born into slavery into St. James Parish, Louisiana. He attended Leland University in New Orleans and Prairie View State College, now known as Prairie View A&M University. Though the exact date of his arrival in Cuero is unknown, he was hired as a teacher for the Cuero Colored High School located on Lincoln Street in the late 1890s. As early as 1897, Daule was in charge of the Summer Normal School for Colored Teachers. He was appointed principal in 1901. The school later moved to Toussaint L'Ouverture Street (later T L Overture) in 1904. He married Jackson, Mississippi, native Kate A.L. Mosely (1869-1939) around 1888. The couple had no children. Daule favored a blend of vocational courses and a classical curriculum to ensure students could maintain an independent lifestyle and assume duties as responsible citizens. While Daule was principal, the school offered Latin, oratory classes, and sports. Daule advised his students to excel in their education and he led by example. Active in the Colored Teachers Institute of DeWitt County, Daule served on the program committee in 1899. He also held a tri-county institute for African American teachers in 1925 and hosted a three-day program for the South Texas Colored Teachers' Association in 1926. He continued his own education throughout his lifetime and was awarded a Bachelor of Science from Guadalupe College in Seguin in 1930. Highly respected by all, Daule came to be known as "Professor Daule." He continued as teacher and principal until he retired in 1931. Seven years later, the school board and PTA changed the name of from Cuero Colored High School to Daule High School to honor the man who inspired the African American students of Cuero. In September 1949, Daule School received a new campus, which served the African American population until integration in 1965. (2023)